Best Commercial Insurance Solutions Provider In Houston, Texas

Houston’s problems with flood control and water management are as old as the city itself. Houston was built on swampland and has relied on more than 2,500 miles of managed waterways to keep it from being inundated with every heavy rain. Still, every so often, floodwaters rise over the banks of the bayous, creeks, and gullies meant to channel them out to sea, spilling over into populated areas. Houston residents have seen this happen more frequently in recent years, leading them to conclude that flooding is becoming a much bigger problem.

The problem is twofold. First, while southeastern Texas experiences periods of drought, rainfall has increased dramatically. In 2015, more than a foot of rain was dumped on Houston in ten hours, causing the Memorial Day flood. In May of 2016, as much as 15 inches of rain fell on parts of Harris County in only 24 hours, most of it coming down in a 10-hour period. State climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon has confirmed “an overall increase in extreme rainfall in Texas over the past century,” with a particularly large increase in Houston. Second, the drainage system designed to prevent flooding has not grown to keep up with the growth of the city. Increased urban development makes widening the waterways to increase their capacity a difficult and costly endeavor.

The implications for Houston residents and business owners are clear: there is a very real risk of flood damage to their property.